The Aliados Foundation awards 4 journalism projects focusing on gender violence
In a ceremony held in the auditorium of the Madrid Press Association (APM), the Aliados Por la Integración Foundation presented the four awards for this year's edition of the Journalism Awards against Gender Violence.
Four projects were awarded, in print, podcast or radio and television formats, judged by a jury made up of renowned personalities in the field of communication, such as Almudena Fontecha, president of the Aliados Foundation, Javier Fernández Arribas, director of Atalayar, Nemesio Rodríguez, president of FAPE, Montserrat Lluis, Raquel Benito, Pilar Álvarez, Myriam Noblejas, Óscar Vázquez and Alfonso Rodríguez.
The event, presented by Eduardo Rodríguez, head of communications at the Aliados Foundation, began with music by the Blues Muses, who performed a modern feminist anthem, 'Puerta Violeta', by Rozalén.
"In this edition it has been especially difficult to decide which works to award, not only because of the number of candidates, but also because of their quality," said Eduardo Rodríguez, before giving way to the president of the Federation of Spanish Press Associations (FAPE), Nemesio Rodríguez. The president of FAPE dedicated a few words to the cyber-bullying suffered by RTVE journalist Anna Bosch, following her statements on Twitter about the Rittenhouse case. "These are sexist attacks, full of insults and rage", Rodríguez recalled, in a very pertinent way, since cyber-bullying is a new tool for doing harm, analysed in one of the award-winning reports.
Ciberviolencia machista', by Radio Televisión del Principado de Asturias, presented by journalist Patricia Rodríguez, a television report that analyses this new and serious way of repressing women through new technologies, especially social networks, which make young women the most common or vulnerable victims. The prize was awarded ex aequo to Antena 3's 'Gender violence. La otra Pandemia', focusing on the experiences of women victims of gender violence, locked up with their "torturers" during the quarantine imposed in Spain due to the COVID-19 World pandemic. Esther Vaquero from Salamanca was in charge of collecting the award on behalf of all her colleagues who "made this work possible", and wanted to deeply thank all the women who "had the courage to stand in front of a camera and tell their stories, facing the threat of reprisals".
In the written media category, the prize was awarded to the journalist of the digital newspaper La Marea, Olivia Carballar, for 'Antonia', a work that the jury valued for its "strength and documentary content", which deals with the case of male violence that ended the life of Antonia Latorre, a resident of Cúllar Baza, in Granada. "I wish we didn't have to call and give these prizes against male violence", Carballar stressed when collecting his award, before thanking in particular the readers who supported the project through crowdfounding platforms. "It is a huge commitment from readers that allows modest media such as La Marea to do this kind of important work", added the journalist. Carballar could not conclude without thanking Emilia, Antonia's sister, for "helping us to get to know Antonia, even seven years after her death".
The radio and podcast category had for the first time a podcast series as the winning format. "A format that is here to stay," said Eduardo Rodríguez, director of communications at Fundación Aliados. The podcast for Podimo is 'En la jaula de oro' (In the golden cage), produced by El Cañonazo and The Facto, and its authors: Tomás Ocaña, David Ávila and Lula Gómez. This docufiction is a true story that tries to break down barriers and clichés, as its creators pointed out. "The protagonist of this story did not consider herself a victim of gender violence. For her, the victim of gender violence lives in San Blas and has a black eye". In the golden cage' tells the story of how gender violence exists in all parts of society, regardless of the luxury that may surround the victims and the perpetrators. "An award is always fuel to continue doing committed journalism, to denounce, to disturb and to change things", concluded Lula Gómez together with her colleagues.
The event was closed with the words of Almudena Fontecha, president of the Aliados Foundation, and one of the leaders in the fight against gender violence in Spain. "If there is one thing that this year's awards have had in common, it is that, despite what we may think, we still have a lot to learn. There is still a lot to learn, because there are still invisible situations, or situations that go unnoticed, and there are new forms of gender violence," said Fontecha. "Gender violence is not a scourge, nor should it be called that, because we can put an end to it. With important tools such as education". Almudena Fontecha made special mention of the younger generations, as a necessary focus of the effort to achieve a fairer and safer society for women. Fontecha concluded her speech with some strong words: "There is no extenuating circumstance for gender violence. Neither cultural reasons, nor religious, nor any other kind. It is a crime".
The event ended with a second performance by the Blues Muses, as well as a family photo with the winners and the jury.
